Skin, hide, and leather working machine.



F. WAYLAND.

SKIN, HIDE, AND LEATHER womuus MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IAY 23. IBM. I

Patented Nov. 14,1916;

3 SHEE'lS-SNEET I gllllllllllllg'ia' m ni,

r. WAYLAND.

SKIN, HIDE, AND LEATHER WORKING MACHINE.

APPLICATION mm .8" 23. 1914.

Patented Nov. 916.

4. I 3 SHEETS-5 T 2 @6- i fim wz f i 'e M Ma g m F. WAYLAND. SKIN, HIDE, AND LEATHER WORKING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

3 SHEE'IS-MIEET 3- APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. I914.

FRANK WAYLAND, 0F SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

SKIN, HIDE, AND LEATHER WORKING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

Application filed May 28, 1914. Serial No. 840,621.

To (r71 whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK WVAYLAND, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Salem, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Skin, Hide,and Leather \Vorking Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to leather working machines, and consists in certain improvements upon and modifications of leather working machines of the kind shown in Letters Patent of the United States issued to me October 28, 1913, No. 1,077,277, and March 21, 1914, No. 1,090,895.

The invention resides chiefly in the tension devices for holding the skin, hide or leather under tension while being acted upon by the overlapping helices of the work rolls; in the provision of moving or laterally stretching tension devices to spread or stretch the skin laterally preparatory to 1ts treatment by the work rolls at the same time the longitudinal tension is exerted; and in the novel and improved arrangement of the helices on the work rolls. These and other features will hereinafter be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate certain embodiments of the invention, Figure 1 is an end view, partly in section of a skin, hide or leather machine containing the invention; Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating a development of the work rolls showing the novel and preferred arrangement of the helical blades or vanes; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail lllustrating the form and relation of two overlapping helices at their inner ends; Figs. 4 and 5 are illustrative diagrams hereinafter described; Fig. 6 is an end view, partly in section of a modification of the machine; Fig. 7 is a side view of one row of rotary sidewise stretching rollers constituting one of the tension members shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a plan view of said rotary sidewise stretching and longitudinal tension rollers; Fig. 9 is a sectional view showing a detail of another modification of tension members embodying the invention, on lines w-m and y;z of Figs. 10 and 11; Fig. 10 is a face View of rear tension member shown in Fig. 9, partly broken away; and Fig. 11 is a face view of the front tension member shown in Fig. 9, partly broken away.

It will be understood that thedrawings illustrate only certain exemplifications of many forms in which the invention may be used.

Referring to the drawings: 1 represents the frame of the machine, preferably a casting, which carries all the working parts of the machine. Extending from end to end of the machine are the work rolls 3 and 4, and the feed rolls 5 and 6. The rear work roll 3 and rear feed roll 5 are carried on shafts 7 and 8 respectively, journaled on the frame of the machine, and the front work roll 4 and front feed roll 6 are carried on shafts 9 and 10 respectively, which are journaled on swinging arms 2 of which there is one at each end of the machine pivoted at 11 on the frame 1.

Each work roll 3 and 4 is provided with a number of right and left hand helical blades or vanes 12, diverging from near the middle of the roll, the helices of one roll overlapping the helices of the other roll when the rolls are in working position. Instead of meeting at their inner ends in an apex at the enter of the roll as in my said former patents, the

diverging helices of each roll spring from the surface of the roll at their inner ends, with a space between the inner end of each helix and the adjacent helix inclined in the other direction, as shown in the development of the rolls in Fig. 2. Thus the unequal action upon the skin of the vanes at their apex and along their length is obviated, and any tendency of the apex of the vanes to tear or cut the skin along the middle is avoided. As the juxtaposed ends of the vanes are disconnected and separated, vanes on one roll are permitted to intermesh between the ends,

and sides of vanes on the other roll.

In order to insure that every part of the skin will be acted upon by the diverging vanes, the vanes are arranged with their inner ends in staggered relation, as shown, and in groups of two or'more vanes, so that as the rolls revolve the helices will engage every part of the skin. It will be understood that if the diverging helices started directly opposite one another as illustrated in Fig. 4, there would be a circumferential path a about the roll which would perform no action on the skin, and consequently there would be a. corresponding path on the skin remaining untreated. vanes were arranged in staggered relation as illustrated in Fig. 5, but not in groups, there would be a circumferential path a Similarly, if the which would not act on the skin. To avoid these results the vanes 12 are arranged in groups (four to each group will produce admirable results) said groups being in staggered relation, or overlapping at their ends, as shown in Fig. 2. The dotted lines in Fig. 2 indicate the intermeshing vanes or blades of the other work roll.

The inner end 13 of each vane 12 is inclined or tapered from its free edge toward its base, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to prevent a end of the machine, and adapted to engage opposite sides of the skin passing to the work rolls cooperating with the upwardly pulling feed rolls 5 and 6 to place the SklIl under tension while being acted upon by the coacting and overlapping helices of the work rolls. While the bladed work rolls themselves, rotating as indicated by arrows, will exert tension on the skin as it is drawn up by feed rolls 5 and 6, by reason of the pressure or pinch between the blades, this blade pinch may be greatly reduced and its l1ab1lity to injure the 'skin overcome without reducing the stretching effect of the blades, by the use of the, tension members at the side of the work rolls opposite to the feed rolls, which hold the skin tight between the feed rolls andtension members like the head of a drum, while being acted upon by the helices of the work rolls.

The tension member 14 is supported at each end by a curved arm 16, pivoted at 17 on the machine frame 1, and partly encircling the work roll 3 to support the bar 14 in proper position below the work rolls. The other tension bar, 15, is supported on the swinging arms 2, by means of studs 18 which slide in cross frame 19. Bar 15 is mounted to yield by means of springs 20 between the bar 15 and cross frame 19, to accommodate any inequalities in the thickness of the skin;

The rolls and tension devices are opened or swung apart by swinging arms 2 forwardly and swinging arms 16 rearwardly as hereinafter described, whereupon the skin or hide A may be dropped or thrown between feed rolls 5 and 6, between work rolls 3 and 4, and between tension members 14 and 15. When swinging arms 2 and swinging arms 16 are returned to closed position,

the rolls and tension devices will be brought to their operative position upon the slim as shown in the drawings. The feed rolls, rotating in the direction shown by the arrows, draw the skin upward between the work rolls, which are rotating in the opposite direction as indicated by arrows, and the skin is worked out and stretched both laterally and longitudinally by the action of the helices in the manner more fully set forth in my said former patents. The tension devices 14 and 15, engaging opposite sides of the skin, exert a tension on the skin passing to the work rolls,a function highly important and essential to the best effect of the helical vanes in their action on the skin, in a machine of this kind where there is no table or bed roll against which the vanes act, but the vanes act in opposition to one another upon the skin while it is stretched tight like a drum-head between the upwardly pulling feed rolls and the tension members. 7

In order to move the tension member 14 out of the way while the skin is being placed in they machine with the rolls open, and to return it again automatically to operative position when the swinging frame again closes the rolls to operative position, the arm 16 is actuated by an eccentric rod 21 pivoted to arm 16 at 22 and having an eccentric strap 23, on eccentric 24, secured to shaft 25.

.Shaft 25 also carries a crank 26 which is connected by link 27 with the lower end of arm 2 at 28. The rotation of the shaft 25 causes the arms 16 and 2 to swing apart in unison, opening the several coacting elements, and again to swing together in unison. Mechanism may be provided if desired to cause said shaft 25 to make a half revolution and stop, repeating the action at intervals, as described in my said Patent No. 1,077,277. The bar 14 is preferably limited by connecting rod 21 so that it will not touch bar 15 when the two bars are swung to their closed position with no skin between them.

Referring now to Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the work rolls and feed rolls are constructed as already described. The swinging arms 2 are similar to the corresponding parts in Fig. 1, but pivoted at 11, lower than before on the machine frame 1. The tension devices in this form of machine not only perform the function of placing longitudinal tension on the skin while it is being acted upon by the helices 12 of the work rolls, but also themselves perform a lateral stretching function. Such tension devices comprise two sets of rollers 29 and 30 arranged close together in rows and engaging the skin on opposite sides. The rollers 29 of the'rear row are mounted on vertical shafts or spindles 31, journaled in a cross frame consisting of horizontal bars 32, 33 and upright bars 34. Said frame is pivoted to the machine frame 1 on shaft 35, and the upper end of the frame is yieldi'ngly supported by spring 36 surrounding stud 37 which passes through a hole in bar 38 extending between the ends of frame 1. The lower ends of shafts 31 are provided with bevel gears 39 which mesh with bevel gears 40 fixed to shaft 35. The. rollers 30 of the other row are mounted on shafts 41, which are journaled on cross frames 42 and 43 extending between the opposite sides of the center of the machine 5 in opposite directions as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 8 so that a skin passing between the two sets of rollers will be spread and stretched laterally from the center line outward. The shafts 31 and 41 are angularly disposed, so that the driving parts will have sufficient room, and the rollers 29 and 30 are frusto-conical in form so that their 'coacting surfaces when in working position are parallel. The rollers 29 and 30 are driven from shaft 46 by sprockets and chains. Sprocket 47 is fast on shaft 46, sprocket 48 is fast on shaft 35, another sprocket also on shaft 35 is behind 48, and sprocket 49 is on shaft 11. Chain 50 connects sprockets 47 and 48, and chain 51 connects the other sprocket or shaft 35 and sprocket 49.

The swinging arms 2 pivoted on shaft 11, may be swung forwardly to open or separate the feed rolls, work rolls and tension devices, by means of a link 52, pivoted at one end to arm 2 and at the other end to a crank 53 on shaft 46. The shaft 46 may be continuously driven to rotate the rollers 29 and 30, and the crank 53 may be loose on shaft 46 and may be intermittently actuated from a continuously driven shaft 54 to swing the arms 2 by means of any suitable mechanism such as that shown for operating the corresponding swing arms in my said Patent No. 1,077,277.

When the parts are in working position, as shown, a skin being drawn upward by the feed rolls 5 and 6, between work rolls 3 and 4, and lateral stretching and tension rolls 29 and 30, is acted upon by the helical vanes 12, as already described, and is held under the proper longitudinal tension by the two tension members, consisting of the two sets of rollers 29 and 30, which, rotating outwardly from the center, at the same time straighten or spread the skin and stretch it laterally before it passes between the work rolls. The row of rollers 29 will yield sufficiently to allow for any unevennesses in the skin, by reason of the springs 36.

Referring now to the modification shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11, the feed rolls 5 and 6, and the work rolls 3 and 4 may be the same as before. In place of the solid faced ten sion bars shown in Fig. 1, this modification comprises tension bars which are also squeezing members, one or bothof which is provided with a number of perforations, through which water pressed out of the skin will pass as the skin is drawn between saidmembers. These perforations are preferably in the form of inclined slots opening through the smooth surface of the squeezing member, the edges of which on the side in the direction of travel of the skin also act as lateral stretching devices. The front stretching and squeezing member as herein shown, is a bar consisting of a rigid supporting frame 55, carrying a flexible sheet metal face 56, provided with a series of perforations or slots 57 oppositely inclined from near the center of the bar. Between said sheet metal, slotted, working face 56 and the supporting frame 55 are cushions of rubber or other suitable material 58, extending lengthwise at the top and bottom edge of the frame 55. The face 56 and cushions 58 are supported on frame 55 by bolts 59 extending through the frame and having sufficient play therein to permit the yielding workin face 56 to adjust itself to any irregularities in the skin. The sheet metal face 56 is extended downward at its lower edge below the edge of frame and bent rearwardly into the form of a skirt 60 to afford an easy entrance for the skin between the said tension, stretching and squeezing members.

The other member consists of a bar having a convex rigid working surface opposed to the yielding face 56. This bar comprises a frame 61, covered with smooth sheet metal 62, both of which are preferably provided with registering perforations in the form of inclined stretching slots 63. 64 is a curved skirtsimilar to 60. upward between surfaces 62 and 56, tension is exerted on the skin as already described, water is squeezed out of it and passes through the slots, and the inclined slots stretch the skin laterally.

I claim:

1. In a skin, hide or leather working machine, a pair of work rolls, each provided with a series of right and left hand helices, the helices of one roll overlapping those of the other roll when in working position, whereby the material being operated upon Will be bent sharply over the edges of the opposed helices, feed rolls at one side of the work rolls, and a plurality of tension members on the other side of the work rolls adapted to engage opposite sides of the skin passing to the work rolls, and to cofiperate with the feed rolls to hold the skin stretched taut between the feed rolls and the tension members while the skin is being'acted upon by said helices.

2. In a skin, hide or leather working ma- As the skin is drawn chine, a pair of work rolls, each provided with a series of right and left hand helices, the helices of one roll overlapping those of the other roll when in working position, whereby the material being operated upon will be bent sharply over the edges of the opposed helices, one of said work rolls being mounted on a stationary frame, and the other roll being mounted on a frame movable with relation thereto, to open and close said rolls, feed rolls at one side of the work rolls, one mounted on the stationary frame, the other on the movable frame, and tension members adapted to engage opposite sides of the skin passing to the work rolls and to cooperate with the feed rolls to hold the skin stretched taut between the feed rolls and the tension members while the skin is being acted upon by said helices, one of said tension members being mounted on the stationary frame, and the other on the movable frame.

, rolls at one side of the" work rolls, one

mounted on the stationary frame and the other on the movable frame, and tension members adapted to engage opposite sides of the skin passing to the work rolls and to cooperate with the feed rolls to exert tension thereon while the skin is being acted upon by said helices, and one at least of said tension members being yieldingly supported.

4. In a skin, hide or leather working machine, a pair of work rolls each provided with a series of right and left hand helices, the helices of one roll overlapping those of the other roll when in working position, whereby the material being operated upon will be bent sharply over the edges of the opposed helices, feed rolls at one side of the work rolls, a plurality of tension members at the other side of the work rolls adapted to engage opposite sides of the skin passing to the work rolls and to cooperate with the feed rolls to hold the skin stretched taut between the feed rolls and the tension members while it is being acted upon by said helices, one at leastof said tension members having a working surface adapted to stretch the skin laterally while atthe same time exerting the longitudinal tension.

5. In a skin, hide or leather working machine, a pair of work rolls each provided with a series of right and left hand helices, the helices of one roll overlapping those of the other roll when in working position, feed rolls at one side of the work rolls, a plurality of tension members at the other side of the working rolls adapted to engage opposite sides of the skin passing to the work ing rolls and to cooperate with the feed rolls to exert tension on the skin while it is being acted upon by said helices, one at least of said tension members consisting of a smooth faced bar having a series of perforations therethrough. I

6. In a skin, hide or leather working machine, a pair of work rolls each provided with a series of right and left hand helices, the helices of one roll overlapping those of the other roll when in working position, feed rolls at one side of the work rolls, a plurality of tension members at the other side of the work rolls adapted to engage opposite sides of the skin passing to the work rolls and to cooperate with the feed rolls to exert tension on the skin while it is being acted upon by said helices, one at least of said tension members consisting of a smooth faced barhaving a series of slots inclined in opposite directions from near the center of the bar.

7. In a, leather working machine, a pair of stretching and squeezing members be- .tween which the skin is drawn, the workin face of one at least of which is provide with a number of perforations.

8. In a leather working machine, a pair of stretching and squeezing members between which the skin is drawn, one at least of which consists of a bar whose working face is provided with a number of perforations.

9. In a leather working machine, a pair of stretching and squeezing members between which the skin is drawn, the working face of one at least of which is provided with a series of slots inclined in opposite directions from'near the center of said member.

10. In a leather working machine, a pair of stretching and squeezing members between which the skin is drawn, one at least of which consists of a bar whose working face is provided with a series of slots inclined in opposite directions from near the center of the bar.

11. In a leather working machine, a pair of stretching and squeezing members between which the skin is drawn, one of which consists of a bar comprising a flexible sheet metal face provided with perforations, a rigid supporting frame and a cushion between said sheet metal face and said supportin frame.

12. n a leather working machine, a pair of stretching and squeezing members between which the skin is drawn, one of which consists of a bar comprising a flexible sheet metal face provided with a series of slots inclined in opposite directions from near the center of the bar, a rigid supporting frame and a cushion between said sheet metal face and said supporting frame.

13. In a leather working machine, a pair of stretching and squeezing members between which the skin is drawn, one of which consists of a bar comprising a flexible sheet metal face provided with perforations, a rigid supporting frame and a cushion between said sheet metal face and said supporting frame, and the other of which consists of a bar having a convex rigid working surface opposed to said flexible sheet metal face of the first named bar.

14. In a leather working machine, a pair of stretching and squeezing members between which the skin is drawn, one of which consists of a bar comprising a flexible sheet metal face provided with perforations, a rigid supporting frame and a cushion between said sheet metal face and said supportin frame, and the other of which consists o a bar having a convex rigid working surface opposed to said flexible sheet metal face of the first named bar, the face of said convex rigid bar being also provided with perforations therethrough.

15. In a leather working machine, a pair of coacting elements between which the skin is drawn, one at least of which comprises a bar having a number of perforations.

16. In a leather working machine, a pair of coacting elements between which the skin is drawn, one at least of which comprises a bar, the working face of which is provided with a series 0 slots inclined in opposite directions from near the center.

17. In a leather working machine, a pair of coacting elements between which the skin is drawn, one at least of which comprises a bar having a metal face provided with a number of perforations.

18. In a leather working machine, a pair of coacting elements between which the skin is drawn, one of said elements having a concave working surface provided with a series of perforations, and the other of which has a convex contour adaptedto hold the skin in engagement with the concave surface.

19. In a. leather working machine, a pair of coacting elements between which the skin is drawn, one of said elements having a concave working surface provided with a series of slots inclined in opposite directions from near the center, and the other of which has a convex contour adapted to hold the skin in engagement with the concave surface.

20. In a leather working machine, a pair of coacting elements between which the skin is drawn, one of said elements having a concave working surface provided with a series of perforations, and the other of which has a convex contour adapted to hold the skin in engagement with the concave surface, the convex element also being provided with lateral stretching edges.

Signed by me at Boston, this 20th day of May, 1914.

FRANK WAYLAND.

Massachusetts,

Witnesses:

ROBERT (JUsnMAN, Fnounxcr. A. COLLINS. 

